updated 04:25 pm EST, Thu February 8, 2007

Xbox Exec on Apple TV

A Microsoft executive's departure may point towards expanded features for Apple TV, according to an interview conducted by Wired. Speaking with the online edition of the magazine, former Xbox Live Arcade manager Greg Cane said that he had chosen to leave Microsoft in favor of Bejeweled creator PopCap Games for the opportunity to expand the developer's games list to other platforms -- including the recently launched Apple TV, Cane claims.

It will be about "customizing [the catalog] for different platforms," he said, "customizing the user interface and display for Zune, ipod [sic], Apple TV, Nintendo DS, PSP."

The newly hired PopCap vice president went on to make a second reference, indicating that he sought to introduce gaming to "non-core demographics" such as Apple's media hub. While not a confirmation, the twin references suggest a definite expansion beyond media playback alone for Apple TV. Notably, the fifth-generation iPod had already received PopCap gaming titles in its September 2006 upgrade.